Chapter 850: The Unscrupulous Southern Legion

Chapter 850: The Southern Legion That Disregards Martial Virtue

To be honest, Saren’s image completely overturned Chu Guang’s impression of the Eastern Legion, and also utterly shattered his perception of what a legion commander should be.

This man did not resemble an ordinary officer, nor even a typical soldier. Not only was his speech refined and proper, but his every gesture carried the elegance of an old aristocrat—he seemed even more like a civil official than Benno, who was one himself.

Chu Guang couldn’t help but think that if a bottle of red wine were placed beside this man, he could be framed in a painting without the slightest incongruity.

Especially that gentle, cultured, and easygoing temperament—it bore a certain resemblance to his own.

Of course, the resemblance was only that—a certain degree.

It was like how the Eastern Legion and the Alliance disagreed on most matters, yet on some issues, their interests aligned.

For instance, regarding affairs in the Eastern world.

Compared to the Southern Legion, whose colonial lands were relatively barren, the Eastern Legion controlled vast and fertile territories. Further expansion was a matter of “investment far outweighing returns,” and the “rate of return” was far inferior to developing existing lands.

Although the vast grassroots officer corps of the Eastern Legion harbored a direct desire to achieve merit and glory, this drive was insufficient to sway the upper echelons of the military aristocracy—or rather, those “great landowners” who held vast estates.

And the only generals who had any hope of leading the Eastern Expansionists to break new ground—General Kras and General Griffin—had both perished in the most recent eastern campaign: one at the hands of the Grand Canyon, the other in the war with the Alliance.

For these reasons, within the Eastern Legion, the Eastern Expansionist faction, composed mainly of young officers, had been nearly marginalized.

Instead, the old military aristocrats tended to grow closer to the civilian official groups of Triumph City, “lending out” their officers and resources back and forth.

Now, there was one more entity to trade with: the Alliance.

Though they looked down on the Alliance’s military equipment, they had to admit that the Alliance’s tractors and other agricultural machinery were quite useful.

The Southern Legion was the exact opposite.

Their homeland was relatively prosperous, but their colonies were mainly scattered along the coast of the Great Wasteland. Those places were rich in minerals but desperately lacked arable land.

Thus, in the matter of invading the Brahman Province, the interests of the Southern Legion’s upper and lower ranks were aligned.

Lower-ranking officers sought promotion through war, while the upper echelons needed those lands to sustain the prosperity of their home settlements.

And here lay the interesting part.

Although the Southern Legion had a unified demand for war over the Brahman Province, the Eastern Legion held a diametrically opposed “unified dissent”—the great landowners, led by Legion Commander Saren, strongly opposed breaking the ancient covenant.

Two political entities with completely opposite interests, yet due to historical legacies, they wore the same coat.

Chu Guang had long felt that the Legion as a survivor faction was rather awkward.

And as luck would have it, the man standing in that pale blue beam of light felt the same way.

With a pleasant smile on his face, Saren, the commander of the Eastern Legion, spoke eloquently.

“…There is no eternal emperor, and naturally, no eternal law. Every rule has its day of obsolescence. The Human Federation was like that, the War Construction Committee was like that, and of course, our Legion is no exception.”

Chu Guang raised an eyebrow slightly, looking with interest at this unusual Whaleran.

“I never thought I’d hear such words from the commander of the Eastern Legion.”

Saren laughed heartily at this, also looking at Chu Guang with keen interest.

“Well, now you’ve heard them. As a trade, can you satisfy my curiosity?”

Chu Guang asked casually.

“What do you want to know?”

Saren smiled and said.

“I’m curious about your opinion.”

Was there even a need to ask?

Saying that probably meant he was thinking of splitting the Legion.

However, Chu Guang had no desire to comment on their internal affairs. Besides, if the Legion really did split, it might not necessarily be a good thing for the Alliance.

After all, at least now they were still holding each other back. If the day ever came when they stopped pretending, the entire wasteland would suffer the consequences.

After a moment of thought, he carefully chose his words and spoke.

“I have no opinion on your internal affairs. But speaking objectively, I think what you said makes sense.”

Saren smiled and continued.

“So, esteemed Administrator, do you believe that the Alliance will also have its day of obsolescence?”

“That’s obvious,” Chu Guang said with a faint smile, in a matter-of-fact tone. “Even stars go out one day, let alone a flame burning on the ground.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so open-minded. But if that day really comes, won’t you feel regret? It’s the work of your lifetime—and not just yours alone. You and those like-minded people risked everything to create it.”

Saren looked at Chu Guang with keen interest, yet it seemed he wasn’t really looking at him.

His gaze seemed to pierce right through him, fixing on someone else who wasn’t there.

But Chu Guang didn’t mind. He simply answered from his own standpoint.

“Why would I feel regret? The Alliance is just a relief organization. We never aspired to be eternal truth, nor do we ever represent truth. Rather than telling people what truth is, we prefer to give them the courage to explore the future, unwavering confidence, and some methods we’ve tried before.”

“If, one day in the future, a more brilliant light is born on this land, I will only be gratified that my descendants truly did not let us down—that they passed on the torch instead of becoming my or the ‘New Era’s’ graveyard keepers. Then our burning will have truly meant something. At least we weren’t the last leg of this relay race. Why would I regret it?”

Saren stared intently at Chu Guang, saying nothing for a long time—so long that Chu Guang momentarily wondered if the man’s network connection had dropped again.

After half a minute, Saren suddenly let out a long sigh and said with emotion.

“Now I understand why Vanus insisted on staying and following you.”

Too similar.

It was far too similar.

Though the voice and appearance were completely different, those were words that great man had once spoken… or at least something similar.

But most Whalerans had forgotten.

Or rather, they only remembered the parts they wanted to remember, turning loyalty into a sword in their hands and honor into a shield, ultimately becoming the “graveyard keepers” this man spoke of—doing dirty deeds under the guise of righteousness, degenerating the equality they had once fought for into authoritarianism, transforming from the persecuted into the “pests” of the wasteland.

Including himself.

Saren’s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions.

As the commander of the Eastern Legion, his feelings toward the Marshal were extremely complex.

On one hand, he genuinely respected that great man, regarding him as an idol in his heart. On the other hand, he had to face reality: he did not represent only himself; he had to make more pragmatic considerations for the interest group behind him.

If only the Marshal could be as active as he was a century ago, instead of occasionally releasing a few words as he did now.

Then they wouldn’t have to be at each other’s throats like this today.

Watching the distracted Saren, Chu Guang looked at him with some surprise.

“…Surprising. I didn’t expect you to remember the name of a mere centurion.”

Saren was taken aback for a moment, then laughed heartily and joked.

“I hadn’t heard of him before, but times have changed. This man, as a Whaleran, not only managed to infiltrate the Alliance but even became the chief of staff of the Alliance Army. If I still hadn’t heard of such a capable person, it would only show how out of touch I am.”

Chu Guang laughed heartily and said.

“There are plenty of Whalerans living in the Alliance. We don’t care about identity—only whether one’s ability and responsibility match the position.”

Saren smiled and said.

"Is that so? If you're free later, I'll have to come see your place and find out if your work lives up to your words."

In response to Saren's jest, Chu Guang offered a friendly smile.

"...As long as you come with peaceful intentions, you're always welcome."

...

The meeting lasted two hours.

Chu Guang, the administrator of the Alliance, and Saren, the legion commander of the Eastern Legion, had a pleasant conversation.

Though the communication signal was intermittent, it did nothing to dampen the friendly atmosphere between the two sides.

During the talks, the two parties reached an agreement: the previous pact between the Eastern Legion and the Alliance remained in effect.

Beyond that, they also signed a supplementary clause to the original agreement.

Its gist was that the conflict between the Southern Legion and the Alliance would not affect the cooperation between the Eastern Legion and the Alliance.

Additionally, the Eastern Legion and its vassals would supply no military materiel to the Southern Legion.

This negotiation essentially meant that the Eastern Legion had drawn a clear line with the Southern Legion.

The nobles of the Falcon Kingdom could finally breathe a sigh of relief, no longer fearing being dragged into this unwarranted disaster...

Meanwhile, outside the Celestial Capital of the Bahr Province, an H-1 "Dragonfly" military transport plane was slowly descending toward a makeshift airstrip.

This runway had been dug out shovel by shovel by Abusek, mobilizing nearby survivors—it was better than nothing, at least.

Fortunately, the Alliance's military products weren't too picky about their environment. The "Dragonfly" wobbled as it landed, but no real accident occurred.

As the plane touched down, the survivors standing outside the airport fence let out exclamations, their faces etched with disbelief.

"So that's what a plane looks like!"

"How does such a big hunk of metal fly?"

"I'm more curious how it lands!"

"Rat God bless, Rat God bless... No illness, no disaster, no illness, no disaster—may all unclean things fly away..."

Some shouted in amazement, others gaped speechless, and a few clasped their hands together, mumbling unrhymed prayers.

They had lived here most of their lives and never seen such an astonishing thing.

Though they'd been told while digging the runway what it was for and to be careful leveling the ground, hearsay could never match the shock of seeing it firsthand. The crowd buzzed with chatter.

As the onlooking survivors talked among themselves, Zaid, the head of the Family Association, stood among them.

His eyes narrowed slightly, a warm smile on his face, hiding the duplicity behind his brow.

If only that plane had crashed...

From the moment it appeared in his sight, that thought had arisen unbidden in his mind.

Though it might crack the fragile unity forming in Bahr Province, it would save him a lot of trouble.

Unfortunately, he lacked the power to kill with a glance, and the Snake God he superstitiously believed in did not answer his "prayer."

The plane wobbled but finally came to a halt on the runway.

Silently lamenting the missed opportunity, Zaid smiled lightly and led the other family members in applause, while murmuring.

"...Resisting the Southern Legion's invasion is now the top priority for Bahr Province. That the Bahr Kingdom can join forces with the Mammoth Kingdom is a great fortune for Bahr!"

Thunderous applause erupted around him. Some residents who weren't part of the Family Association joined in, swept up by the atmosphere.

Clapping along, Sawa glanced at Zaid, then quietly looked away.

He remembered clearly—last night, this gentleman had said something quite different.

But only he knew that.

Hearing Zaid's words, the family members around nodded in agreement, leading the crowd along.

Including the reporter from the *Survivor Daily*.

That tall, thin young man from Golden Harbor felt the most resonance. After clapping, he turned to Zaid and sighed emotionally.

"If only those officers, obsessed with fighting and killing, could see the bigger picture like you do."

His name was Krishi.

Since last year, he had worked at the *Survivor Daily* office in Golden Harbor. And because of his work, he had watched the Federation gradually "go sour" from a collective full of hope and ideals.

They had once been hopeful about Rasi, but that guy was no good at all—after carving out a base, he just hunkered down, focused on amassing wealth through labor exports, and only moved to take the three northern states when the Heavenly Army stirred up trouble.

The Bahr Kingdom Federation was the same—under the guise of "leaning toward the Alliance," it still flirted with the legions.

Especially that Grand Commander Abusek, a complete hypocrite. He put on a progressive front but clung tightly to power, convening industry representatives like the Alliance, then treating those intellectuals like monkeys, ignoring them.

He was even worse than Rasi—at least the latter didn't hide things; he said what he did and was cleanly bad.

Now, it seemed only Zaid was a good man with heart and an idealist willing to get his hands dirty.

Though limited in ability, he was at least willing to share everything with his family.

Not only that—he didn't hide in a safe place but risked himself to go to Westport, organizing the laborers coerced by the legions, earning their enmity and slander.

Looking at the indignant young man, Zaid smiled kindly and comforted him.

"Ah, you shouldn't say that about those officers! If they lacked vision, they wouldn't have stepped up back then!"

Krishi sighed.

"I know. I just think... if they could completely set aside personal interests, that would be even better. Then we wouldn't need the Alliance to mediate; we could unite on our own."

And more thoroughly than now.

Not like the present—uniting while still suspicious of each other.

Watching this naive youth, Zaid smiled faintly.

"We can't demand others; it's enough to do our part. Besides, having the Alliance mediate isn't a bad thing. External force is still force. Our relationship with the Alliance is like brothers in a family—the younger brother's efforts are important, but the elder brother's help is indispensable!"

Krishi smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"I know. I have no complaints about the Alliance... I just think Abusek isn't a good man."

Zaid shook his head, cutting him off.

"Don't say that. Mr. Abusek is a true warrior and an idol in my eyes. Unlike our small skirmishes, they've fought the Valiants with real swords and guns."

At this, he sighed sorrowfully.

"Not like us—we shed blood in vain, with nothing to show for it... I truly feel ashamed before the families of Westport."

Seeing that desolate look, Krishi's softest spot was touched, and he couldn't help but speak up for him.

"You shouldn't say that! We've all seen your struggle—how could it be blood shed in vain?"

"And don't blame yourself. What revolution comes without bloodshed? You faced legion soldiers, while Abusek and his men only faced unarmed civilians. If you feel ashamed, shouldn't Abusek bury himself in the ground to atone?"

"Ah, Commander Abusek has his own difficulties. It's not good for you to say that..." Zaid shook his head, inwardly pleased with his cleverness, yet his words remained watertight, his posture humble.

Krishi shook his head, thinking this enlightened man was deceived, caught in the game without seeing the board, unable to see through Abusek's hypocrisy.

But that only fueled his passion for reporting.

If the discerning minds of the Bharata Province were all deceived by that face, then even if they ultimately won this war, what awaited them would be a sunless hell.

The blood in his chest surged and ebbed; Krish's eyes sparkled as he already had the draft for his next report in mind.

Zayed, however, let out a silent, soft laugh, his gaze fixed on the plane that had now come to a halt.

All he needed to do next was nothing—just wait quietly.

That was what he did best.

Like a snake lying dormant in the snow...

In the distance, surrounded by a throng of soldiers, Rasi, the commander-in-chief of the Mammoth State, stepped out of the cabin.

Walking up to Abusek, who was waiting by the runway, he extended his right hand with crisp precision.

"A pleasure! The leader of the Bharata State, Mr. Abusek."

Though both men came from military backgrounds, their auras were markedly different.

After all, when Rasi was locked in a ferocious battle with Alaiyang, Abusek was merely a lowly soldier under the latter's command.

Now, though he had ascended to a throne above ten thousand, the wild, rustic air about him had yet to be washed away—he seemed more like a farmer draped in a yellow robe.

Still, Abusek was not intimidated; he merely cast a subconscious glance at the pistol holstered at the man's waist, then smiled and grasped the outstretched hand.

"A pleasure, a pleasure... I have long admired your name, General Rasi!"

Rasi let out a hearty laugh.

"Admired name? Hardly. But you, Great Leader, have a reputation that spreads far and wide. Even when I was in Mammoth City, I heard that your army had swept across the entire Bharata Province."

Abusek smiled and returned the compliment.

"Haha! The entire Bharata Province? Not quite—maybe a little more than half! But you know the caliber of those city defense troops; beating them is no great feat! Now you, General—you made your name in a single battle! Even the 'Empire's War God,' Alaiyang, fell at your hands!"

"Coincidence, mere coincidence. I never imagined he would end up like this," Rasi sighed, putting on a look of regret. "I must apologize to you for this affair; I hope you won't take offense."

Abusek was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Why would I take offense? If you ask me, it was a good kill! That dog, with eyes only for his master and none for his brothers, caring only for his own glory while dragging millions to their graves—I only regret not having shot him myself! To rid the Bharata people of a pest!"

Rasi was about to say more, but the Far-sighted Eagle, standing nearby, grew impatient and coughed to interject.

"Stop flattering each other. The Legion has left us just over sixty hours. We need to discuss our battle strategy as soon as possible."

The warlord representatives from Tiger Province and Leopard Province had already arrived and were waiting in the operations command center.

Though their leaders hadn't flown in personally like Rasi, they had sent essentially their second-in-commands.

Hearing the alliance representative's urging, Abusek snapped back to attention, his expression turning serious.

"Mr. Eagle is right! Please, everyone, follow me to the operations command center—"

Before he could finish, an officer suddenly ran over from the side with a grave face, not even bothering to salute, and whispered hurriedly into Abusek's ear.

After hearing the faint whisper, Abusek froze for a moment, then his face shifted wildly.

Rasi, standing before him, was the same—his face had been wearing a composed smile until a phone call suddenly reached the guard beside him.

When he took the call, that composed face instantly changed.

In the end, it was the Eagle who was left in the dark; still on the line, he had no idea what was happening.

Fortunately, his three good brothers had gone to the front, and they didn't keep him waiting long—a message soon arrived on his VM.

[Legion! The Big Noses have opened fire!]

Staring at the flashing text on the VM screen, the Eagle held his breath for an instant.

Good heavens!

They had promised a seventy-two-hour countdown before the expansion update, and this dog of a game master was pulling a sneak attack?!